Here in 2024, we have more buying options than ever before. While it’s great to have all those options, the reality is that it can be very difficult to decipher a great product from a terrible one. That’s why it’s so important to have sources like Guns Cleaner available. We’ve put together the most comprehensive buying guide for the Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kit.
These gun cleaning kits will have everything you need to prevent metal & powder fouling, rust prevention, corrosion, & more. Most gun cleaning kits don’t include any CLPs, gun greases, or lubricants. For resources on those, you’ll want to check out our article on the best gun cleaning solvents.
Top Universal Gun Cleaning Kits of 2024
Gloryfire Universal Gun Cleaning Kit – Best Gun Cleaning Kit
With so many choices out there, it is often hard to pick just one. Well with Gloryfire’s universal gun cleaning kit, we’re confident you don’t have to look any further.
Boasting a reputation as the bestselling gun cleaning kit on Amazon, Gloryfire has clearly done their homework. This kit comes in a sturdy plastic case that will give any gun cleaning box a run for its money. This all-in-one gun cleaning kit can be used for all types of shotguns, pistols, rifles, & even muzzleloaders.
Leave it at home on your workbench next to your gun maintenance vice, or throw it into the back of your truck with the rest of you shooting gear. The Gloryfire puts other similar-priced products to shame, making it one of the best gun cleaning kits of 2024.
Notes From The Field:
Small calibers: .17, .204, .22, .243, .270/280, .30
Medium calibers: .357 / .38 / 9mm, .40, .44 / .45
Large calibers: .50, .540
Shotgun calibers: .410, 12 gauge, and 20 gauge
Otis Elite Cleaning System with Optics Cleaning Gear – Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kit
If patriotism comes before price, then this last kit is for you. Made in the USA, this is your one-stop shop for gun cleaning essentials and high-end materials to help get the job done. The group at Otis have dedicated their time addressing every single detail a gun owner needs to be aware of when maintaining their weapons.
Instead of multi-piece rods, the Elite Cleaning System comes with 6 Memory-Flex Cables. These cables are of varying lengths and are coated to prevent bore damage. The 750 lb pull strength ensures a smooth pull without worrying about snapping.
We’re talking about 22 bore brushes with each kit. This may seem like overkill for someone looking for a simple gun cleaning kit, but when these guys say they have thought of everything to address every type of gun owner they mean it. Each caliber-specific brush is color-coded with the size indicated on the stem. Not only do these brushes have a denser bristle pack, but they have a proprietary Tufcor core wire that is corrosive-resistant and has a tighter twist for better bristle retention and brush life.
Notes from the field
- 6 Memory-Flex Cables of varying length
- 22 bronze bore brushes
- Obstruction removal tools
- Specialized precision tools for complete breakdown and fine cleaning of all critical and hard to reach areas of your firearm
- Optics cleaning gear
Allen Ultimate 65 Piece Gun Cleaning Kit – Best Gun Cleaning Box
It had to be called the “Ultimate” gun cleaning kit because I’m not sure what word could better describe this 65-piece set. This is Allen’s professional grade cleaning kit that uses only high-end components. Allen combined everything you need for cleaning your guns into one compact kit that fits into its very own toolbox. The kit is designed for not just the traditional shooter, but the shooters that have every make and model in their gun safe.
The toolbox has compartments for every tool with its name and size labeled. You’ll never misplace or lose a tool because you’d easily know what you are missing. Plus this isn’t one of those gun cleaning kits where they create just enough space for the tools, but fail to leave enough space for solvents, cotton patches, or cleaning mats. Allen’s toolbox has ample space for everything you need when cleaning your shotguns, pistols or rifles.
We couldn’t be more impressed with the number of tools and attachments that came with Allen’s Ultimate Gun Cleaning Kit. Included in the kit is everything you will need to start cleaning your guns, including patches, jags, brushes, cotton swabs, and so much more. This is the Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kit on the market if you are looking for a well-organized toolbox with high-end tools.
Notes From The Field:
- Shotgun Bore Brushes – 12, 20 & .410 gauge
- Bronze Pistol/Rifle Brushes – .54, .50, .44/.45, .40, .375, .35, .338, .30, .270, .243, and .22 caliber
- Brass Jags for Pistol and Rifle Calibers listed above.
- Cotton Swabs for Rifle and Pistols – .357/9mm, .30, and .270 caliber
- Cotton Swabs For Shotgun – 12, 20 & .410 gauge
- Brass slotted Tips for Shotgun, Rifle, and Pistols.
- Muzzleguards for 4mm & 6mm brass cleaning rods.
- Nylon cleaning brush, pick and brass cleaning brush.
- Cotton Patches
Hoppe’s Universal Gun Cleaning Accessory Kit –
Hoppe’s is one of the best when it comes to gun cleaning solvents and cleaning kits. They have been able to develop just about every product for shooters and gun enthusiasts. So, to help shooters who may have one shotgun, a rifle and maybe a pistol or two. Hoppe’s designed their Universal Gun Cleaning Kit with the necessary tools to clean a wide variety of guns for the traditional shooter. Therefore, instead of having to buy a cleaning kit for every caliber and bore size you can purchase Hoppe’s inexpensive universal kit.
The Hoppe’s Kit includes a three-piece cleaning rod that was long enough to fit our long barrel shotguns. The kit also includes phosphor bronze brushes, cotton swabs and slotted ends for cleaning patches for just about every traditional caliber size in shotguns, pistols, and rifle bore sizes. Now just like anything else Universal doesn’t mean everything. So, you may still need a one-off bore brush and some cleaning solvent, but this kit really does cover the bases on cleaning tools.
We found the attachments to be great quality and no issues with the brushes bending or wearing out after cleaning our guns. The cotton bore swabs are washable which is really nice as they can get black and dirty quite easily. Plus, the cost of this kit was easily cheaper than buying two unique caliber cleaning sizes. Therefore, this had to be on our list for the Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kit.
Notes From The Field:
- Nine Phosphor Bronze Brushes – .22, .270/7mm, .30, .357/9mm, .40/10mm and.44/.45 calibers, along with 12 gauge, 20 gauge and .410 bore.
- Five Cotton Swabs – 12 gauge and 20 gauge, plus .35/38, .22/ .270,.40/45/calibers.
- Four Slotted Ends to fit – .410 bore to 20 gauge, 16 and 12 gauge, .30 caliber and .22 caliber
- One 3-piece Aluminum Cleaning Rod.
- One Hard Case For All Tools
Real Avid Gun Boss Pro Universal – Best Rated Gun Cleaning Kit
Don’t be surprised when you go to clean your first gun with this Real Avid gun cleaning kit, you instantly grab the rest of your collection and clean those as well. This Real Avid kit makes cleaning a gun not only fun but well organized. Real Avid knows how to design a high-quality case to fit the essential tools and equipment needed for a universal cleaning kit. Their universal kit’s case is so well organized and labeled, it also has its own kickstand, so the tools are propped up when you clean. Making it easy to remove each tool. Thankfully Real Avid didn’t stop once they designed this awesome case because they offer one of the best cleaning rods out of any universal kit.
The cleaning rod is a three-piece brass design. Brass is one of the best materials to make a rod out of because it won’t scratch your barrel or guns. Plus, the handle that attaches to the cleaning rod is like no other on the market. It has an ergonomic grip that makes it easy to hold onto. Other handles are small and hard plastic and tend to break with any pressure. The handle also has a tap hammer surface, so you can use it for punching pins out. The handle also has two receivers for cleaning both fixed and rifling barrels.
Notes From The Field:
- Multi-Function Handle
- High-Performance Tool Case with Kickstand
- 12″ Brass Gun Cleaning Rod (3 Segment)
- 12 Ga. Brush and Mop & 20 Ga. Mop and Brush
- Brush and Jags – .45 Cal.,v.40 Cal, .357 Cal./.38 Cal./9MM, .40 Cal. .357 Cal./.38 Cal./9MM .30 Cal.
- Brush and Jag – .280 Cal. / .270 Cal. / 7MM .243 Brush and Jag .22 Cal.
- Large & Small Slotted Tip
- 25 1.2″ X 2.4″ Cleaning Patches
- 25 2″ X 2.4″ Cleaning Patches
Outers Universal 62 – Piece Blow Molded Gun Cleaning Kit
Outers Universal kit is one of the most comprehensive kits on our list. It may not have the flash and flare of other gun cases, but this 62-piece cleaning kit has everything you need to clean just about every popular gun sold today. The cleaning case is a nice hard plastic case that has slots for all the tools. I will say the spots aren’t labeled. However, with a simple label maker or even a sharpie, you can write the caliber size next to the tools making sure you don’t misplace any of them. The best thing about the case is even though the kit doesn’t include solvents and oils, there is built-in compartments, so you can fit everything into this one case. Whether you’re needing to clean your shotgun, or are looking for tools to clean your AR, this is a great option.
Once we started using the kit we realized how much we needed the three utility brushes that it includes. I usually use a toothbrush or a small paint brush to clean out my shotgun components. Having it included in Outer’s kit made this kit really a one-stop shop cleaning kit. The kit also includes two brass cleaning rods to fit multiple pistol, rifle, and shotgun bore sizes. The three-piece design is easy to screw together, and all of the attachments fit on to the kit with no issues.
Notes From The Field:
- 3 Utility brushes
- Three Muzzle guards to fit: 17-cal, 22-cal, 30-cal
- 3 Accessory adaptors for rifle/pistol, shotgun, and muzzleloader
- 50 Cleaning patches: 3″ x 1.5″
- 50 Cleaning patches: 3″ x 3″
- 4 Polishing Cloths
- 3 Solid brass rods for .17-270-cal rifles and pistols
- 3 Solid brass rods for 30-cal and larger rifles, pistols shotguns and muzzleloaders
- 14 Bronze brushes to fit: 17-cal, .20/204-cal, .22 pistol, .22 rifle, .243-25-cal/6mm, 6.5mm, 270-cal/7mm, 30-cal/8mm, .38-357-cal/9mm, .40-45-cal/10mm, 410-ga, 20/28-ga, 10/12-ga, 50-cal, 54-cal
- 9 Mops to fit: 17-cal, .22-25-cal/6mm, 6.5mm, .270-30-cal/7mm, 8mm, .38-357-cal/9mm, .40-45-cal/10mm, 410-ga, 20/28-ga, 10/12-ga, .50-54-cal
- 13 Spear pointed Jags to fit: 17-cal, 22-cal, 6mm, 25-cal/6.5mm, 270-cal/7mm, .30-32-cal, 338-cal/8mm, 35-cal/9mm, 375-cal, 40-cal, 44-cal, 45-cal, 50-cal
- 4 Slotted patch loops to fit: 22-cal, 30-cal, 410-20/28-ga, 10/12-ga
Remington Hunting Cleaning and Maintenance Kit – Multi Gun Cleaning Kit
Remington a household name in firearms no doubt. I’m sure many of you own at least one Remington gun. They not only know how to make great firearms but surprisingly awesome gun cleaning kits. When we think universal, Remington took that to heart and made not only the best universal gun cleaning kit, but they included everything you need to clean a gun. Everything from a cleaning mat and towel to gun oil and bore cleaner. Remington has one of the most comprehensive cleaning kits.
At Guns Cleaner we really liked how you can store everything in this one bag and when you need to clean your gun, simply grab one bag for everything. Plus, to top it off the cleaning mat, although not the top cleaning mat on the market today, nonetheless a great add on to this kit. It can Velcro right to the bags drop down zipper flaps making it easy to clean and place your tools back into the bag in their corresponding location.
All the tools and attachments are labeled with their caliber or bore size. This makes it so easy to grab the correct tool for the gun you are planning on cleaning. One of the best features that sets Remington’s tools apart from the rest is their unique cleaning ends. They call it the Squeeg-E tips, which you run through the barrel after you scrub with a brush.
Notes From The Field:
- 3 Rem Flex Rod Cables (rifle, shotgun, pistol/revolver)
- Fast Snap T-Handle
- Rem Squeeg-E: .22/.223/5.56, .243, .270/7mm, .308/7.62, 9mm/.380/.357, .40/10mm, .44/.45, .50/.410, 20GA/16GA , 12GA/16GA
- 10 Matching bronze bore brushes
- Threaded revolver adapter
- Large thread adapter
- Nylon and Brass hand brushes (1 each)
- Medium Rem Pad Gun Cleaning Mat (12″ x 28″) & Gun cloth
- Rem All In bore cleaner (0.5 fl oz.) & Rem Oil (1.0 fl oz.)
Real Avid Gun Boss Universal Cable – Compact Gun Cleaning Kit
At Guns Cleaner we just couldn’t pass up putting Real Avid’s Gun Boss Cable kit. This universal kit is tiny, but it packs a punch for what’s included. Everything from jags, brushes, swabs, and Real Avid’s very own cable cleaning rod design. Thanks to a cable cleaning rod design, this cleaning kit is compact and perfect for taking to the range or using it as your travel kit.
The kit includes a spot for every brush, rod, and tool. Real Avid even made a spot for cotton cleaning patches and swabs. This kit doesn’t include every brush or slotted tip, but it does include the essential caliber sizes for shotguns, rifles, and pistols. Plus, this cleaning design allows you to pull the brushes and swabs versus the conventional pushing with a cleaning rod. Makes it a little easier cleaning process.
Notes From The Field:
- 1 rifle/shotgun & 1 handgun flex rod
- Compact, weather-resistant travel case
- .22 to .223/5.56mm, .270 to .280/7mm brush, and 20 & 12 ga. brushes, .45 cal brush and 357/.38/9mm, .30 cal brushes
- 20 & 12 ga. shotgun mops
- .17 cal. brush/slotted tip combo
- .22 cal. short-action brush
- 25 3 X 3 shotgun cleaning patches
- 3 short-action, non-marring nylon slotted tips fit long and shorter ejection ports
- 25 1.5 X 3 rifle/handgun cleaning patches
Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kit – Common Issues
There are two main issues that shooters run into with gun cleaning kits. The first is getting cheaply made components that fall apart & don’t last. Like many products on the market, this is something that you often don’t find out about until after you’ve had a chance to try it. Our job is to make sure you know what is a good gun cleaning kit before ever taking out your wallet.
The second common issue with gun cleaning kits is that they end up not including the proper gauge or caliber gun cleaning supplies. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best universal gun cleaning kits. With a universal gun cleaning kit, you know you’re getting a wide range of gun cleaning supplies in various calibers and sizes.
Components in a Gun Cleaning Kit
Cleaning Swab
Each kit comes with a cleaning swab, sometimes referred to as a gun mop. It’s made of cotton & designed to remove any leftover residue in the barrel from your CLP or solvent. After you’ve removed all the buildup with your brushes, the cleaning swab makes a final pass or two to finish the job.
Bronze Brush
Every universal gun cleaning kit that you see is going to come with a number of bronze brushes. Typically used on the first pass or two while cleaning a gun barrel, the bronze brush is used to remove heavy carbon buildup. When you are purchasing a gun cleaning kit, you’ll want to pay attention to the materials used in these brushes. The best brushes are made of high-quality bronze & nothing else!
Nylon Brush
Not every universal gun cleaning kit is going to include nylon brushes, but some of the larger ones will. Obviously made of nylon, these brushes are made for the more sensitive areas of your gun. While the bronze brush is going to be used the most frequently, the nylon brush is designed to reach carved out areas & hard to reach locations.
Double-End Brushes
These gun cleaning brushes are going to be made of similar materials as the brushes that attach to your cleaning rods. However, these are toothbrush-style brushes that are commonly used to clean the exterior of your firearm. You will most commonly find these in stainless steel, brass, & nylon.
Cotton Swabs
These are a popular choice among shooting enthusiasts. Commonly used to detail firearms, the wood handles make them easy to reach into difficult areas. They typically come in 6″ lengths and are sold in packs of 100.
Gun Cleaning Patches
A staple of any gun cleaning kit, these cleaning patches are dipped in your favorite cleaning solvent. After gun cleaning solvent has been applied, these patches are then attached to your cleaning jag or slotted patch holder. These patches come in a variety of different fabrics, and some are higher quality than others, so you’ll want to pay attention to quality.
Lint-Free Paper Towels
Often used in medical environments, lint-free paper towels are perfect for your gun cleaning kit. While other towels & paper products end up leaning lint on your firearms, these wipes do not. This leaves your gun about as clean as it’s ever going to get! If you run out of gun cleaning patches, these can also be cut up and used instead.
Cleaning Jag
To use a cleaning jag, you simply place a cleaning patch in the center of the jag and push it down your gun barrel. With the cleaning jag, you achieve a 360 degree clean on bore surfaces. In order to prevent scratching on the inside of your barrel, most jags are nickel plated or brass.
Slotted Patch Holder
Most universal gun cleaning kits in 2024 will include a patch holder instead of a cleaning jag. These are designed to perform the same general function as the cleaning jag, only you put the cleaning patch through the slot. After inserting the patch, you pull it through the barrel to remove any solvent.
Cleaning Rods
Easily one of the most important and noticeable of the universal gun cleaning kit, the cleaning rod attaches to all the cleaning supplies above. Cleaning rods in 2024 come in a variety of shapes, sizes, & materials.
Cleaning Solvent
While cleaning solvents aren’t typically included in most universal gun cleaning kits, you’ll certainly be needing some. Otherwise referred to as CLP, solvents come in a variety of different types. You can familiarize yourself with them in our gun cleaning solvent guide.
Bore Snake
Bore snakes are commonly confused as a gun cleaning kit, but that simply isn’t true. The bore snake is going to be used for a quick gun cleaner, while the universal gun cleaning kit is meant to get that deep clean. Make sure to take time to read up on our buying guide for bore snakes.
Gun Cleaning Mat
While many people don’t think a gun cleaning mat is necessary when they start cleaning their firearm, they will wish they had one by the end. Gun cleaning mats protect your work surface from debris & and solvents that may have spilled.
